Summary
Not really. In October 2026, a normal 2-bedroom in Tamarindo was listed at about $1,750 a month, a bit below the $1,850 we estimated in June, so dollar rents look flat to slightly softer.
A typical studio goes for about $950, a 1-bedroom for about $1,250 and a 2-bedroom for about $1,750, mostly furnished and quoted in US dollars.
Because the colón got stronger in 2026, the same $1,750 rent is worth about 9% fewer colones than in January, which is a real pay cut for landlords with colón costs.
Your landlord can't raise a dollar lease during the contract: Costa Rican law freezes dollar rents, while colón rents can only rise with inflation, which was just 0.34% in September 2026.
The priciest areas are Playa Langosta, Tamarindo Centro and the gated condos, where 2-bedrooms run about $1,800 to $2,300, while Villarreal starts at about $1,300.
About 70% to 80% of tenants want furnished units, and furniture adds roughly $200 to $500 a month to the rent.
Demand peaks from December to March: Airbnb occupancy in Tamarindo ranged from 27.4% in September 2025 to 62.3% in February 2026.
Supply is growing fast: Tamarindo had about 1,448 active Airbnb listings over the 12 months to September 2026, 28% more than a year earlier.
Airbnb isn't a sure win: after VAT, fees, management and costs, our 2-bedroom example nets about 1.4% to 2.5% a year on Airbnb, depending on the fee option, against about 2.9% on a long lease.
Landlords should budget about $250 to $500 a month in HOA fees for a 2-bedroom condo, plus property tax of 0.25% of the registered value a year.
Rental income is taxed at 12.75% of gross rent for an individual landlord, and that includes owners who don't live in the country.
A long-term rent above ₡693,300 a month (about $1,515) pays 13% VAT on the whole amount, so the typical $1,750 2-bedroom in Tamarindo is caught.
The takeaway: as a tenant, negotiate in the May to November low season and ask for a dollar lease; as a landlord, price a 2-bedroom just under $1,515 or build the 13% VAT into your numbers.
What do studios, 1-beds and 2-beds rent for in Tamarindo, and where are rents heading?
In October 2026, typical long-term rents in Tamarindo were about $900 to $1,100 a month for a studio, $1,000 to $1,500 for a 1-bedroom, and $1,300 to $2,300 for a 2-bedroom apartment or condo.
In colones, that's roughly ₡410,000 to ₡505,000 for a studio, ₡460,000 to ₡685,000 for a 1-bedroom and ₡595,000 to ₡1,050,000 for a 2-bedroom. In euros, about €800 to €980, €890 to €1,340 and €1,160 to €2,050.
Most of the beach market is priced in US dollars. A smaller local market priced in colones also exists: on Encuentra24 in October 2026, two furnished 2-bedrooms in Tamarindo were listed at ₡375,000 and ₡400,000 a month, far below the dollar listings.
Size is only part of the story. Furniture, a pool, a gate, good air-conditioning and reliable internet move the rent as much as an extra bedroom.
What's the average monthly rent for a studio in Tamarindo?
A simple furnished studio in Tamarindo rents for about $950 a month (₡435,000, €850). In October 2026, the studios we found on Encuentra24 were listed at $900 near Tamarindo and $1,000 in Pinilla with a private pool.
Studios and small units priced in colones are cheaper: Anuntico's October 2026 sample of 13 Tamarindo apartment rentals had most listings between ₡300,000 and ₡598,000 a month.
The cheaper end usually means a small studio in El Llanito, Villarreal or another inland area, while the top end means a furnished studio closer to Playa Tamarindo, Hacienda Pinilla or the beach core.
What's the average monthly rent for a 1-bedroom?
A furnished 1-bedroom in Tamarindo rents for about $1,250 a month (₡570,000, €1,110) on a long lease.
Most 1-bedrooms go for $1,000 to $1,500. Anuntico's October 2026 median for Tamarindo, a 60 m² 1-bedroom, was ₡500,000 (about $1,090), with the colón-priced listings around ₡400,000 and the dollar-priced ones around $1,500.
The cheapest 1-bedrooms are usually in Villarreal, El Llanito, La Josefina and Santa Rosa. The most expensive are in Tamarindo Centro, Playa Langosta and the gated condo communities.
What's the average monthly rent for a 2-bedroom?
A normal furnished 2-bedroom apartment or condo in Tamarindo rents for about $1,750 a month (₡800,000, €1,560).
On 22 October 2026, Encuentra24 showed nine 2-bedroom apartments priced in dollars around Tamarindo. Their median was $1,750, from $1,000 in Matapalo to $2,300 in a gated condo in Tamarindo. Most fell between $1,300 and $2,300.
The cheapest 2-bedrooms are usually in Villarreal, Santa Rosa and La Josefina. The most expensive are in Playa Langosta, Tamarindo Centro, Hacienda Pinilla and premium gated communities.
What's the average rent per square meter?
Tamarindo apartments rent for about $20 per m² a month (₡9,150, €18). A furnished 90 m² 2-bedroom in The Oaks listed at $1,850 works out at about $21 per m².
In the October 2026 listings that showed a size, rents ranged from about $15 per m² (a 150 m² 3-bedroom in La Meridiana at $2,200) to about $26 per m² (a 90 m² gated 2-bedroom at $2,300). Anuntico's colón-weighted median was lower, at ₡8,333 per m² (about $18).
That's high for Costa Rica because Tamarindo has a small beach rental stock, more furnished units and much more foreign demand than inland towns.
Small furnished units with a pool, a gate, fast internet, air-conditioning and a walk to the beach sit above the average per m².
How much have rents changed over the past year?
No one publishes a rent index for Tamarindo. Comparing our June 2026 estimates with October 2026 listings, dollar rents look flat to slightly softer: a typical 2-bedroom went from about $1,850 to about $1,750.
In colones, landlords lost more. A $1,750 rent was worth about ₡877,000 at January's rate of about 501 colones per dollar and only about ₡800,000 in October 2026, roughly 9% less.
Supply is the main reason rents stopped climbing. Active Airbnb listings in Tamarindo rose 28% in the year to September 2026 (AirROI), and in June 2026 Tamarindo Guide reported more homes for sale, longer listing times and more price cuts.
The best furnished 1-bedrooms and 2-bedrooms still rent quickly at full price, because good long-term supply close to the beach is thin.
What's the outlook for rent growth?
We expect dollar rents in Tamarindo to stay roughly flat into the 2026-2027 high season, with small increases only for well-located furnished units. No reliable published forecast exists for Tamarindo rents.
Demand is holding up: international arrivals at Guanacaste's Liberia airport rose 11.9% to 769,716 from January to September 2026 (CET, using ICT figures), much faster than the 4.8% for Costa Rica as a whole.
Where growth happens, it's likely in Tamarindo Centro, Playa Langosta, Hacienda Pinilla, The Oaks, La Meridiana and well-run gated condos.
The risks are on the supply side: more short-term rental owners switching to long leases in the green season, new condos finishing, and a colón that stays strong. Water rationing is another one: 32 local water boards (ASADAs) reported restrictions in September 2026, partly in Guanacaste.
Starting a Rental in Costa Rica
Can a landlord raise a dollar rent in Costa Rica?
Not during the contract. Under Article 67 of the rental law (Ley 7527), a residential lease written in US dollars keeps the same rent for its whole term. A lease in colones can go up once a year, but by no more than the past 12 months of inflation, which was only 0.34% in September 2026 (INEC).
Leases are also longer than many foreigners think. The law sets a 3-year minimum for residential leases, whatever the contract says, and the lease renews for another 3 years unless the landlord gives notice at least 3 months before it ends. The tenant can usually leave with 3 months' notice.
That could change. Bill 25465, filed on 25 March 2026, would allow inflation-linked increases on dollar leases. In October 2026 it was still in committee and not law.
What this means in practice: tenants should ask for a dollar lease with a fixed rent and check the exit clause. Landlords should set the right rent from day one, because they can't catch up later, and should be careful about signing a "1-year" lease on a unit they want back for Airbnb.
Which Tamarindo neighborhoods rent best, and to whom?
The areas that rent best in Tamarindo are Tamarindo Centro, Playa Langosta, Villarreal, El Llanito, La Josefina, Santa Rosa, Hacienda Pinilla, The Oaks, La Meridiana, Palmas de Tamarindo and the nearby Playa Grande, Brasilito and Flamingo corridor.
Tamarindo is small, so rents depend less on formal neighborhoods and more on beach access, road access, a gate, schools, parking, internet and distance to shops.
Which neighborhoods have the highest rents in Tamarindo?
The highest rents are in Playa Langosta, at about $2,000 (₡915,000, €1,780) a month for a good 2-bedroom, and in Tamarindo Centro and the gated condos, where October 2026 listings for 2-bedrooms ran from $1,800 downtown to $2,300 in a gated building.
Hacienda Pinilla has the widest spread: a furnished 2-bedroom home in Bosque de Pinilla was listed at $1,400 in October 2026, while the resort condos there sit at the top of the market.
People pay more there because Playa Langosta is quiet and close to the beach, Tamarindo Centro is walkable, and Hacienda Pinilla offers privacy, security and resort amenities.
Tenants in these areas are mostly expats, remote workers, seasonal residents, families with bigger budgets and people renting before they buy.
By the way, we’ve written a blog article detailing what are the current best areas to invest in property in Tamarindo.
Where do young professionals prefer to rent?
Young professionals usually pick Tamarindo Centro, El Llanito and Villarreal, which mix nightlife, work, road access and lower rents.
They usually pay about $900 to $1,600 a month (₡410,000 to ₡730,000, €800 to €1,430), depending on size and furniture.
What they want: cafés, surf, restaurants, a desk and fast internet, parking, and a short drive to the beach without paying beachfront prices.
Where do families prefer to rent?
Families usually prefer Villarreal, The Oaks, La Meridiana and Hacienda Pinilla, which offer more space, parking, quieter streets and easy access to shops.
They usually pay about $1,700 to $3,000 a month (₡780,000 to ₡1,370,000, €1,520 to €2,700) for a 2-bedroom or 3-bedroom. In October 2026, furnished 3-bedrooms in La Meridiana and La Garita were listed at $2,000 to $2,200, and a 3-bedroom house near Playa Avellanas at $3,000.
Families want security, outdoor space, bigger bedrooms, reliable internet, room for a car and less nightlife noise.
Schools near these areas include Journey School of Costa Rica, Educarte, La Paz Community School toward Brasilito, and other private or bilingual schools along the Guanacaste coast.
Which areas with good road access rent faster?
Tamarindo has no university and little public transport, so road access matters more. The areas that rent fastest for that reason are El Llanito, Villarreal and Tamarindo Centro.
A fairly priced, clean, furnished unit there usually finds a tenant in about 15 to 30 days, by our estimate.
Being close to the main road, bus stops and supermarkets adds roughly $100 to $250 a month (₡46,000 to ₡114,500, €90 to €220) compared with a similar unit on a dirt road further out.
Which neighborhoods are most popular with expats?
The top expat areas are Playa Langosta, Tamarindo Centro and Hacienda Pinilla, with Villarreal and The Oaks popular with expats staying longer or watching their budget.
Expats there usually pay about $1,500 to $3,000 a month (₡685,000 to ₡1,370,000, €1,340 to €2,700), depending on size, furniture and amenities.
They come for the beach, English-speaking services, restaurants, security, reliable internet and furnished units that make the first months easy.
Most expats in Tamarindo are North American or European, especially from the United States, Canada, France and Germany. According to El Observador, nine in ten tourists landing in Liberia come from the United States.
And if you are also an expat, you may want to read our exhaustive guide for expats in Tamarindo.
70+pagesWho rents in Tamarindo, and what do tenants want?
Tenants in Tamarindo are unusually international for a small beach town in Costa Rica, and most of them want furnished, easy, low-hassle living.
What tenant profiles dominate rentals in Tamarindo?
The three biggest groups are remote workers and digital nomads, expats and seasonal residents, and people working in tourism and hospitality.
By our estimate, remote workers make up about 30% of rental demand, expats and seasonal residents about 30%, and hospitality workers about 20%, with local families and others making up the rest.
Remote workers want furnished studios and 1-bedrooms, expats and seasonal residents want furnished 1-bedroom or 2-bedroom condos, and hospitality workers look for cheaper rooms or apartments inland, often priced in colones.
If you want to optimize your cashflow, you can read our complete guide on how to buy and rent out in Tamarindo.
Do tenants prefer furnished or unfurnished?
About 70% to 80% of tenants in Tamarindo want a furnished unit, by our estimate. Most of the long-term apartments listed on Encuentra24 in October 2026 were furnished.
A furnished apartment usually rents for about $200 to $500 more a month (₡91,500 to ₡230,000, €180 to €450) than a similar unfurnished one.
Remote workers, expats, seasonal residents and foreign families prefer furnished rentals because they want to arrive with a suitcase and start living.
Which amenities increase rent the most?
The five amenities that add the most rent in Tamarindo are a pool, strong air-conditioning, fast reliable internet, a gate with security, and safe parking.
Each one can add roughly $100 to $500 a month (₡46,000 to ₡230,000, €90 to €450), depending on the unit and the location. They don't simply add up: a unit with all five rarely rents for $2,500 more than one without.
What renovations get the best ROI for rentals?
The five upgrades that pay back best are inverter air-conditioning, stronger Wi-Fi with a real desk, a simple kitchen or bathroom refresh, a washer and dryer, and better outdoor space.
They usually cost about $500 to $5,000 (₡230,000 to ₡2,290,000, €450 to €4,450), and each good upgrade can add roughly $100 to $400 a month to the rent, by our estimate.
Upgrades that don't pay: expensive luxury finishes, fragile furniture, oversized kitchens, high-maintenance gardens and decoration that doesn't improve cooling, internet, security or daily comfort. Salt air also wears out cheap appliances fast.
70+pagesHow strong is rental demand in Tamarindo this year?
Demand for good rentals in Tamarindo is solid in 2026, but it's seasonal and much more tied to tourism than a normal residential market.
What's the vacancy rate for rentals in Tamarindo?
No official vacancy rate exists for Tamarindo. By our estimate, a fairly priced long-term rental sits empty about 4% to 7% of the year.
Good furnished units in Tamarindo Centro, Playa Langosta and gated communities can be closer to 3% to 5%, while overpriced villas or weaker inland units can sit empty more than 10% of the time.
That's low for the right product, partly because owners can switch between long leases, monthly stays and vacation rentals. With 28% more Airbnb listings than a year ago, overpriced long-term units will feel more competition.
How many days do rentals stay listed?
A fairly priced long-term rental in Tamarindo usually stays listed for about 15 to 35 days, by our estimate.
Studios and 1-bedrooms under about $1,400 a month (₡640,000, €1,250) can go in 1 to 3 weeks, while 2-bedrooms and luxury villas often take longer.
Compared with a year ago, listing times look broadly stable, but overpriced listings sit longer because tenants compare long leases with monthly furnished stays.
Which months have peak tenant demand?
Demand peaks from December to March, the dry season. Airbnb occupancy in Tamarindo went from 48.2% in December 2025 to 62.3% in February 2026, according to AirROI.
It comes from beach tourism, North Americans escaping winter, surf trips and holidays, and owners choosing between monthly stays and long-term tenants.
The quietest stretch is May to November, the green season, when occupancy averaged about 37% against about 54% in the dry months, and dipped to 27.4% in September 2025. That's the best time for tenants who want a long lease and room to negotiate.
Are Airbnbs squeezing long-term rentals in Tamarindo?
Less than people think. Tamarindo had about 1,448 active Airbnb listings over the 12 months to September 2026, 28% more than a year earlier (AirROI). That's a lot of new supply chasing the same tourists, and average occupancy was only 42%.
A 2-bedroom on Airbnb in Tamarindo earned on average ₡13,900,000 (about $30,500) over that year, against about ₡9,610,000 for a 2-bedroom rented long-term at $1,750 a month. The gross gap looks big.
The net gap isn't. In our example, a 2-bedroom bought at $299,000 (the October 2026 TuLugar median asking price), Airbnb income shrinks once you take out the 13% VAT charged to guests, Airbnb's 15.5% host fee, about 20% for a manager, utilities, the 12.75% income tax, HOA and upkeep. It nets about 1.4% a year (about 2.5% with Airbnb's 3% split fee), with guests' cleaning fees paying the cleaner and before furniture replacement. The same unit on a long lease, with one empty month a year, nets about 2.9%.
Since September and October are the low point of the year, expect some Airbnb owners to try long leases for the green season and go back to short stays in December. Tenants can use that: ask for a 12-month dollar lease at green-season prices. Landlords tempted by Airbnb should check that the condo allows it, register with the ICT and Hacienda, and run the numbers with 42% occupancy, not the 62% of February.
70+pagesWhat will a Tamarindo landlord pay each month?
Landlords in Tamarindo should budget more than they expect: humidity, salt air, air-conditioning, furnished turnover and pool or garden care all add up.
What property taxes should landlords expect in Tamarindo?
A Tamarindo property registered at $300,000 (₡137,000,000, €270,000) pays about $750 a year (₡345,000, €670) in municipal property tax.
The base rate is 0.25% of the registered value a year (Law 7509). The registered value is often below the market price, so many owners pay less than this.
Bigger homes can also owe the luxury home tax (Impuesto Solidario) when the construction value is above ₡143,000,000 (about $315,000) in 2026, at progressive rates from 0.25% to 0.55%.
What utilities do landlords often pay?
Landlords in Tamarindo usually pay HOA or condo fees, internet, water, pool or garden care, security and sometimes garbage collection.
HOA fees for a 2-bedroom condo in Tamarindo or Langosta run about $250 to $500 a month (₡114,500 to ₡230,000, €220 to €450). Internet costs about ₡25,000 to ₡60,000 a month, water ₡10,000 to ₡30,000, and pool or garden care ₡50,000 to ₡250,000.
Usually the landlord pays HOA and upkeep, while the tenant pays electricity or gets a capped allowance, because air-conditioning bills can be high.
How is rental income taxed?
An individual landlord pays 15% tax on 85% of the gross rent, which works out at 12.75% of the gross rent. Rent from a Tamarindo property is Costa Rican income, so this applies to owners who live abroad too.
That 15% deduction is automatic and replaces actual expenses. A landlord who rents through a company with real business activity is taxed differently and can deduct real costs, but must also pay the annual company tax, ₡69,330 (about $150) for an inactive company in 2026, and file the beneficial-owner (RTBF) return.
The usual mistakes: mixing long-term rent with Airbnb income, forgetting the 13% VAT, not registering with Hacienda, and keeping poor records when rent is paid in dollars.
We cover these mistakes, among others, in our list of risks and pitfalls people face when buying property in Tamarindo.
Does a Tamarindo rent above ₡693,300 pay 13% VAT?
Yes. A long-term residential lease is exempt from VAT only if the monthly rent is at or below 1.5 base salaries. With the base salary held at ₡462,200 for 2026, the limit is ₡693,300 a month, about $1,515.
Above that, 13% VAT applies to the whole rent, not just the part above the limit. A 1-bedroom at $1,250 (₡570,000) stays under the limit, but the typical 2-bedroom at $1,750 (₡800,000) is above it. The strong colón helped a little here: at January's rate of about 501 colones per dollar, the limit was only about $1,384.
If the landlord can't add VAT on top, it comes out of the rent: on $1,750 a month, about $201 goes to Hacienda. In our 2-bedroom example, that cuts the net long-term yield from about 2.9% to about 2.2%.
What to do: landlords can price a unit at $1,500 instead of $1,600, which often earns more after VAT, or register with Hacienda and invoice the tax. Tenants should ask whether the quoted rent includes VAT, and get it in writing.
Our methodology
This article estimates what long-term tenants pay in Tamarindo, Guanacaste, by apartment size and neighborhood, whether rents are still rising, and what landlords keep after costs and taxes. It covers long leases first and compares them with Airbnb.
Rents come from live asking prices: a snapshot of Encuentra24 apartments on 22 October 2026 and Anuntico's October 2026 Tamarindo median, cross-checked with broker pages. Short-term rental figures come only from AirROI (October 2025 to September 2026), purchase prices from TuLugar's October 2026 medians, HOA fees from local brokers, and tourism demand from ICT arrivals as reported by CET.
Tax and legal rules come from Hacienda (12.75% effective tax on gross rent, 13% VAT above 1.5 base salaries, 13% VAT on short stays), Ley 7527 for leases and rent increases, Law 7509 for property tax, and the ICT for short-term rental registration. Our net yields deduct income tax, VAT where it applies, property tax at 0.25% of the price, HOA of $375 a month, upkeep of 1% of the price a year, one empty month for long leases, and the Airbnb fee, a 20% manager and utilities for short stays.
We checked these figures in October 2026. Dollar amounts are converted at about 457.5 colones per US dollar and 513 colones per euro (October 2026).
Where we had no direct figure, such as vacancy, days on market, tenant shares or the furnished premium, we estimated it from listings and say so in the text. Listing prices are asking prices, not signed leases, and the samples are small, so read every figure as a guide, not a quote.
Key sources used for this analysis include Encuentra24 Tamarindo rentals, Encuentra24 Tamarindo apartments, Encuentra24 furnished rentals, Anuntico, TuLugar, AirROI, Coldwell Banker Tamarindo rentals, Hidden Coast Realty, Airbnb monthly stays, Tamarindo Guide, Hacienda on rentals and VAT, Hacienda capital income tax rates, Ministerio de Hacienda, Ley 7527, MIVAH rent adjustments, INEC CPI, INEC, INEC 2022 Census, INEC ENAHO, ICT tourism statistics, ICT lodging registry, El Mundo CR, Coastal Realty and CR Inteligente.
